Alexandria City Council Approves Additional Steps to Keep New Potomac Yard Metrorail Station on Schedule

Hopes High for an Early 2022 Opening

ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Alexandria City Council has taken several recent actions to continue progress toward the new Potomac Yard Metrorail Station and keep the project on schedule.

On
December 15, City Council unanimously approved an amendment to the station’s
development special use permit, based on recommendations by the Potomac Yard
Metrorail Implementation Work Group (PYMIG) and the Planning Commission after
extensive public input. Based on a significant project budget gap previously
identified, the amendment included removal of the station’s south mezzanine and
the associated ramp from Potomac Greens; removal of the southern pedestrian
bridge across the rail corridor; and removal of the southern entry pavilion and
ramp off Potomac Avenue. The amendment included the addition of a ramp from E.
Glebe Road to the remaining pedestrian bridge, to provide improved access from
south Potomac Yard.

The
state recently announced $50 million of new funding for additional access to
the station from the south, based on the projected increase in ridership
associated with the recently announced plans for a new Amazon corporate
headquarters and Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in National Landing. The City
is actively working with Metro and the state to establish a firm timeline for
how the new funding could be integrated into the current construction project
once approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board. PYMIG will meet on
January 14 and as needed to help staff develop a recommendation regarding the
scope of this additional access and how best to integrate the change into the
project. Any changes to the station’s design will be subject to public
hearings and approval by the Planning Commission and City Council.

On
December 11, City Council unanimously approved an amendment requested by the
National Park Service (NPS) to its 2016 agreement with the City regarding
mitigation of wetlands under NPS jurisdiction. The agreement specifies that the
City will pay up to $1 million per acre, for up to 4.37 acres of wetlands
permanently impacted by construction of the station. NPS initially determined
that the funds would be used for wetlands mitigation at Dyke Marsh, but has
since encountered delays in that project. The amendment approved by City
Council will allow the NPS to use the funds for other sites in the region that
meet its criteria for wetlands mitigation and can make use of the funds more
quickly.

During
the December 15 meeting, City Council also unanimously approved elimination of
the planned special tax district on residential properties located in the
southern end of Potomac Yard. The funding plan for the station initially
included two special tax districts. The “Tier I” district, which includes
commercial properties in the north and central areas of Potomac Yard, took
effect in 2011. The “Tier II” district was to include the residential
properties in the southern end of Potomac Yard, and was scheduled to take
effect after the new station opened. The City Manager recommended elimination
of the Tier II district based on the economic and tax revenue impacts of the
recently announced plans for National Landing. The projections show equivalent
increased revenue from the base and Tier I taxes due to anticipated increases
in property values, without the need for a Tier II tax.

The new
Potomac Yard Metrorail Station, to be built on the Yellow and Blue Lines
between the existing Braddock Road and Ronald Reagan Washington National
Airport stations, will provide an extensive range of benefits for Alexandria
and the surrounding community, including walkable access to regional
transportation systems for neighborhoods in the northeast area of the city. The
station is also expected to generate billions of dollars in new private sector
investment over the long term and eventually support 26,000 new jobs and 13,000
new residents. The Potomac Yard area represents the most significant
redevelopment and tax base growth opportunity for Alexandria, with the
potential to achieve the vision for an urban mix of uses near transit.

The $320 million station will be funded through a variety
of sources – including new tax revenue gained primarily from development in
Potomac Yard over the next 40 years, regional transportation authority grants,
and developer contributions. The station is expected to open to the public in
early 2022.

Mary Wadland is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of The Zebra Press, founded by her in 2010. Originally from Delray Beach, Florida, Mary is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Hollins College in Roanoke, VA and has lived and worked in the Alexandria publishing community since 1987.

The Zebra in Alexandria, Virginia is an ALL GOOD NEWS printed tabloid, and is the city’s largest publication with 30,000 doorstep-delivered copies to residences and businesses all over town. Please contact us at 703-224-8911 or sales@thezebrapress.com to request a media kit.